Introducing a new face to your business can be a coin flip, so it is essential that you know what to look out for when trying to find a Local SEO expert to help drive your local efforts. You’re going to want someone with demonstrable experience in successfully launching Local SEO campaigns, but that is just the beginning. 

The ideal candidate should, of course, have a thorough understanding of local SEO strategies, techniques, and best practices. Be sure to take the following aspects of a qualified Local SEO expert into account when deciding on your partner:

Knowledge
Local SEO specialists must to be well-versed in the subtleties of local search behavior, the various local SEO strategies available, and the complexities of local search engine algorithms. They have to be able to recognize and take advantage of your unique local SEO opportunities and problems, developing a tailored plan that complements your current business goals.

Relevant Experience
Look for local SEO specialists who have a track record of assisting companies just like yours in achieving their goals. To evaluate their experience and the efficacy of their strategy, look for case studies, client testimonials, and favorable references and links to that business on other websites.

Industry Knowledge
Make sure the specialist is well-versed in the competitive environment of your industry and the particular elements that affect local search rankings in your field. They have to be ready to modify their plans in light of the particular requirements of your sector and company, as well as any insights to be gained from studying your rivals and target market.

Now that you know what to look out for in a partner, there are several actions that are crucial to the effectiveness of your Local SEO efforts. Here are 3 of these actions, which we recommend turning into the beginning of your personalized Local SEO checklist. Always make sure that you address these three issues for every business you’re involved with. And then, over time, you can add more steps to the checklist to round out your comprehensive Local SEO strategy.

Claiming and Optimizing Your Google My Business Listing

If you aren’t already familiar with Google My Business (GMB), this is your first task. GMB is a key component of Local SEO, as the most reputable and popular online business directory, acting as a unified platform on which you can manage your company’s data. You will need to create a listing for your business, add information, and make sure this information is always kept up to date.

Your GMB listing must include your business name, address, contact information, and opening and closing hours. However, to maximize the efficacy of your listing, you should consider adding some social proof, such as client testimonials, as well as some images of your business.

Your local exposure will improve drastically when you have an optimized GMB listing, making your business show more prominently in local search engine result pages (SERPs), and on maps. Claim your GMB listing today, or create one if it isn’t already in existence, and begin optimizing your listing as soon as possible.

Optimizing for relevant local keywords

When people in your locality search online for a product or service that you offer, you are going to want them to find your business. The way you can achieve this is by incorporating local keywords into your website content. The more optimized your website, the more users will be directed there when they search these keywords and terms that you’ve included throughout your website content.

As well as incorporating these words and phrases into the body of your copy on site pages, be sure to include them in header tags, page titles, and meta descriptions. This step will push you ahead of the competitors who don’t understand the importance of these elements. 

Of course, the keywords you include are only useful if they are the correct terms that people are using to search. You must conduct regular, in-depth keyword research and optimize your content appropriately, to guarantee your content stays optimized, even if the most popular search terms change over time.

Submitting website to local directories

We’ve spoken about GMB as the most important online directory for your business, but there are several others that serve the same purpose, albeit on a lesser scale, and can round out your Local SEO efforts. 

There are widespread options, such as Yelp, the Yellow Pages, and your local Chamber of Commerce, and each region or city will have more local directories that the local population may rely on more than these well-known options. Since this is a local effort, you can’t ignore these local listings. 

All in all, you will want to get your business listed in as many places as possible, and keep the information in those listings optimize. Your Local SEO foundation will be strengthened if you make sure that the information about your company is correct and consistent throughout these directories.

Local SEO does not need to be intimidating. We’ve seen how, with a few clear steps, you can greatly increase your company’s local visibility and drive more users to your website. Getting started with Local SEO, on the other hand, can be a daunting challenge.

Following the tips about choosing the right partner laid out above, you should consider working with inSegment for a thorough and efficient local SEO plan catered to your unique company demands. The inSegment team boasts years of experience and unparalleled Local SEO expertise. 

Begin building your Local SEO strategy today and reach out to inSegment, Boston’s leading SEO experts.